The Netherlands eased into the quarter-finals of the World Cup as goals from Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder secured a 2-1 victory over Slovakia in Durban.
The Dutch were boosted by the return from injury of star winger Robben, who started his first game of the tournament.
Slovakia head coach Vladimir Weiss opted to pair Robert Vittek with Erik Jendrisek in attack, but Zdeno Strba missed out due to suspension.
After a couple of long-range efforts, the Dutch forged the first opening when Dirk Kuyt lifted in a cross from the left and Robin van Persie's poor header took a deflection and went out for a corner.
Eighteen minutes in came the breakthrough when Robben gained possession on the right, cut inside and drifted past a couple of defenders, before beating Jan Mucha with a low 20-yard left-footed drive.
Slovakia had struggled to make any sort of opening before Robben struck and they continued to do so for the remainder of the half.
The Netherlands' only other half-chance came five minutes before the interval when van Persie beat one defender, but then scuffed a 30-yard right-foot shot straight at Mucha.
Early in the second half the Dutch were twice denied by Mucha, who first superbly tipped away another Robben effort brought about by a dart in from the right, before the keeper blocked a Joris Mathijsen effort with his face from point-blank range.
Just past the hour mark Sneijder tried to shoot with several team-mates powering forward on the break and that almost proved to be very costly.
Midway through the half Miroslav Stoch cut in from the left and his bullet shot from just inside the area was superbly tipped over by Maarten Stekelenburg.
Soon after Vittek beat the offside trap, but shot straight at Stekelenburg from 15 yards as another opportunity went begging.
The Dutch finally eased their nerves with six minutes to play when Mucha missed a long free-kick over the top and Kuyt nipped in and put the ball on a plate for Sneijder to sidefoot home from 12 yards out.
The final move of the game saw Slovakia gain reward for their efforts, as Stekelenburg was penalised for bringing down sub Martin Jakubko and Vittek converted from the spot for his fourth goal of the finals.

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full-Time: HOLLAND 2-1 SLOVAKIA.

90

Goal

HOLLAND 2-1 SLOVAKIA, VITTEK tucks away the spot-kick for his fourth of the competition.

90

PENALTY to Slovakia as Stekelenburg is penalised for bringing down Jakubko.

90

Afellay's first touch sees him shoot narrowly wide from 25 yards out.

90

Substitution

Sneijder comes off and Ibrahim Afellay gets a short run-out.

90

An offside flag stops Jakubko in his tracks.

90

Three minutes of added time to be played.

89

Kuyt makes ground down the right, but his weak cross is straight at the waiting Mucha.

88

Substitution

Slovakia throw on Marek Sapara and Martin Jakubko for Hamsik and Zabavnik.

86

Slovakia have put up a good fight, but have not had the quality needed to break down the Dutch.

85

Yellow Card

Martin Skrtel is booked for arguing about the initial free-kick.

84

Goal

HOLLAND 2-0 SLOVAKIA, that must be game over. Mucha comes and misses a long free-kick forwards, Kuyt nips in and puts the ball on a plate for SNEIJDER to sidefoot home from 12 yards out.

82

The game seems to be slipping away from Slovakia, as Weiss storms off his bench to give his opinion.

80

Substitution

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar takes over from van Persie.

78

Vittek has another half-chance, but the ball gets stuck under his feet and he shoots wide from 15 yards with his left foot.

77

Time's running out for the Slovaks, they need to find a little bit of inspiration.

75

Elia does well to get clear down the left, but then scuffs his attempted cross and Slovakia clear once again.

74

The resulting corner is cleared.

73

Kuyt beats his man and shoots goalwards from just over 25 yards and Mucha makes another solid save.

72

Yellow Card

Elia is brought down by Kopunek, who is cautioned after a matter of seconds on the pitch.

71

Substitution

Slovakia introduce Kamil Kopunek for Jendrisek.

71

Substitution

Robben makes way for Eljero Elia.

70

Kuyt heads over from Sneijder's delivery.

69

Van Persie wins a free-kick on the left side, the referee seems to have favoured the Dutch a little today.

68

Midway through the second half and maybe it's quite all over just yet.

67

Another good chance, Vittek beats the offside trap but blasts his shot too close to Stekelenburg from 15 yards out.

67

Stoch cuts in from the left and his bullet shot from just inside the area is superbly tipped over by Stekelenburg.

66

Sneijder takes a blow to his right ankle, but he is jogging the knock off.

65

Robben feeds Sneijder as the Dutch spring forward, but the Internazionale man shoots when a number of team-mates were waiting for a pass.

63

Kucka tries a shot from at least 45 yards and Stekelenburg almost concedes a corner as he dives to cover.

60

An hour gone and still Slovakia toil to try and gain a foothold in the game.

59

Van Persie curls a free-kick goalwards and Mucha makes a brave punch as he is fouled by Kuyt.

58

Robben is once again the danger, but after turning on to his right foot he puts a weak cross into the area and it is cleared.

56

The stretcher is coming on while the magic sponge is applied.

55

Zabavnik is down in his own area after a challenge by van Persie and he looks to be in trouble.

53

Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss senior is out braking instructions to his players.

51

Mucha saves his side again as Robben turns provider, with his ball from the left seemingly putting it on a plate for Joris Mathijsen, only for the keeper to block with his face.

50

Robben almost makes it 2-0, again he cuts in from the right and shoots left-footed, with Mucha making an excellent finger-tip save.

49

Weiss tries to play in the arriving Hamsik as Slovakia start with a bit of intent.

47

Vittek busily makes his way past a defender before totally mis-hitting a shot which dribbles through to Stekelenburg.

46

The second half gets started with no changes by either side.

Half time

Half-Time: HOLLAND 1-0 SLOVAKIA.

44

A precise attack down the right sees Robben play in Mark van Bommel, but van Persie is unable to turn his cross on target and Slovakia have a goal-kick.

42

Half-time is not far away and Dutch keeper Stekelenburg has been a virtual spectator.

40

Van Persie beats one defender, but then scuffs a right-foot shot from 30 yards and Mucha gathers.

40

Yellow Card

Kucka is a tad late on de Jong and gets a yellow card for his troubles.

37

The game has become a little slow and plodding.

35

One of the referee's assistants needs a new flag, so play is held up for a minute.

34

Robben goes over theatrically as he is challenged by Radoslav Zabavnik.

32

Stoch has another free-kick hacked clear from the Dutch area.

31

Yellow Card

Robben is booked for deliberate handball, that seemed a little harsh.

30

Stoch's free-kick into the Dutch area is flicked away by Nigel de Jong.

29

Kucka brings down Sneijder in midfield, but escapes a booking.

26

Mucha punches a Sneijder corner away from danger.

25

The game has dropped in pace a little, with the Dutch content to keep hold of the ball.

22

Weiss' ball in from the left is just too strong for Vittek, who has already scored three goals in the competition.

21

Slovakia need to keep their cool now and not go chasing the game, the Dutch love a counter-attack.

19

A superb goal from Robben, that's the added quality he can bring to a game.

18

Goal

HOLLAND 1-0 SLOVAKIA, ROBBEN makes the breakthrough as he gains possession on the right, cuts inside and drifts past a couple of defenders, before beating Mucha with a low drive from 20 yards.

17

It's all a bit nervy at the moment, we need a goal.

14

Juraj Kucka does well down the right, but his mishit shot goes well wide of the far post.

13

Just under 15 minutes played and the Dutch are slightly on top.

11

Sneijder finds space on the left side of the area, but his weak shot is straight at keeper Jan Mucha.

10

The Dutch are dominating possession, probing and looking for an opening.

9

Miroslav Stoch gets in a cross from the right and Stekelenburg collects at his near post.

8

The set-piece is cleared by Slovakia.

7

Dirk Kuyt lifts in a cross from the left and Robin van Persie wins a corner with a poor header which takes a deflection.

6

A lively enough opening without either side testing the other goalkeeper.

5

Marek Hamsik gets a shot in from 25 yards, but it's a couple of yards wide of Maarten Stekelenburg's goal.

4

The Dutch knock the ball around and Robben finds space and passes to Wesley Sneijder, who shoots far too high from 25 yards out.

3

Play is now deep in the Slovakia half and a long throw almost finds Robben at the far post.

3

An early warning for the Dutch.

2

Slovakia spring forward as Vladimir Weiss does well down the left and feeds Jendrisek, who shoots over the top from 20 yards out.

1

Kickoff

Spanish referee Alberto Undiano gets the game underway.

Awaiting Kickoff

Slovakia head coach Vladimir Weiss opted to pair Robert Vittek with Erik Jendrisek in attack, but Zdeno Strba misses out due to suspension.

Awaiting Kickoff

The Dutch are boosted by the return from injury of star winger Arjen Robben, who starts his first game of the tournament.

Awaiting Kickoff

Holland and Slovakia meet in Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium with a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup up for grabs.